Environment

signed · Illinois · Senate Aug 1, 2025

SB 2314: SHORELINE RESTORATION FUNDING

Amends the Healthy Forests, Wetlands, and Prairies Act. Authorizes grants to be provided under the Act for financing shoreline restoration and protection projects on behalf of counties and park districts.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAuthorizes grants for shoreline restoration and protection projects, directly advancing environmental conservation through funding for habitat protection and natural resource preservation.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Coastal & Flood Protection Parks & Recreation

in committee · Illinois · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SB 2616: $DEPT AGR-ALTERNATIVE PROTEIN

Appropriates $2,000,000 from the General Revenue Fund to the Department of Agriculture to be used as a grant to an Illinois higher education institution's integrated bioprocessing research laboratory for the expansion of alternative protein research. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $2M from General Revenue Fund to fund alternative protein research, directly increasing state budget allocation for a specific program.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunding alternative protein research aligns with environmental goals by promoting sustainable food systems that reduce livestock-related emissions and resource use, a common environmental benefit of such initiatives.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Revenue

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in committee · Illinois · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 1975: $DRYCLEANER ENV-TECH

Appropriates $2 from the General Revenue Fund to the Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council for its FY26 ordinary and contingent expenses. Effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentFunds Drycleaner Environmental Response Trust Fund Council for environmental response expenses, directly supporting pollution control and environmental protection efforts.90% confidence

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in committee · Illinois · House May 20, 2025

HB 3604: NUCLEAR MORATORIUM REPEAL

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Removes provisions prohibiting the construction of new nuclear power reactors with a nameplate capacity of more than 300 megawatts of electricity to be located within the State until the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security finds that the United States Government has identified and approved a demonstrable technology or means for the disposal of high level nuclear waste.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyRepeals moratorium on new nuclear reactors, enabling expansion of nuclear energy infrastructure, a low-carbon power source.95% confidence ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRemoves requirement for high-level waste disposal approval, weakening environmental safeguards related to nuclear waste management.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Nuclear

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in committee · Illinois · House Jul 1, 2025

HB 3520: $BUILD IL BOND FUND

Appropriates $1,000,000,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Natural Resources for construction and maintenance of State owned, leased, and managed recreation sites and $500,000,000 from the Build Illinois Bond Fund to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity for grants for capital improvements to convention centers. Effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $1.5B from existing bond fund to fund public recreation/convention infrastructure, directly supporting state budget allocation for essential services without tax changes.85% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAllocates $1B to Department of Natural Resources for recreation site construction/maintenance, directly supporting conservation and natural resource management.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

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in committee · Illinois · Senate Jun 1, 2026

SB 1402: IDNR-SAHARA WOODS ACT

Creates the Department of Natural Resources Sahara Woods State Recreation Area Act. Authorizes the Department of Natural Resources to enter into a public-private agreement to develop, construct, finance, lease, manage, and operate campground facilities at Sahara Woods State Recreation Area. Authorizes the Director of Natural Resources to enter into discussions with interested persons prior to soliciting requests for proposals. Directs the Department to comply with specified provisions of the Illinois Procurement Code. Describes the request-for-proposal process that is to be employed. Contains provisions concerning the payment of prevailing wages and the use of project labor agreements. Specifies that the term of any public-private agreement entered into under the Act shall be no less than 25 years and no more than 99 years. Defines terms. Effective immediately.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentAuthorizes DNR to manage Sahara Woods recreation area, aligning with conservation-focused state natural resource management. Establishes structured development within a protected area, consistent with environmental stewardship.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Parks & Recreation

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in committee · Illinois · House Mar 21, 2025

HB 2729: RIPARIAN PROTECTION ACT

Creates the Riparian Protection and Water Quality Practices Act. Requires landowners who own property that is adjacent to a water body identified and mapped on a buffer-protection map to maintain a buffer to protect the State's water resources. Sets forth requirements concerning the types of buffers that must be installed and the timelines for their installation. Requires soil and water conservation districts to develop and submit to each local water management authority a summary of watercourses within their jurisdiction by July 1, 2026. Requires local water management authorities to incorporate these recommendations into their comprehensive water management plans. Exempts certain lands from the requirements of the Act. Allows the Department to withhold funding from local authorities that fail to implement the Act. Contains provisions concerning judicial review of decisions of the Department of Natural Resources. Specifies that the Act applies to State property. Defines terms.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentMandates riparian buffers to protect water resources and quality, directly advancing environmental protection standards through conservation requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Water Quality

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signed · Illinois · Senate Aug 15, 2025

SB 1859: CLIMATE DISPLACEMENT ACT

Creates the Climate Displacement Task Force Act for the purpose of making recommendations regarding climate displacement within the State. Contains provisions concerning the appointment of members to the Task Force and the duties of the Task Force. Requires the Task Force to submit to the General Assembly an initial report delineating the Task Force's findings, conclusions, and recommendations by no later than June 30, 2026.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentCreates Climate Displacement Task Force to address climate impacts, aligning with climate change response efforts per bill title and summary.90% confidence

signed · Illinois · House Aug 1, 2025

HB 1605: REAL PROP CONSERVATION RIGHTS

Amends the Real Property Conservation Rights Act. Provides that a conservation right includes preserving cultural heritage sites. Provides that any owner of real property in the State may convey a conservation right in such real property to a federally recognized Indian tribe or a State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides definitions for federally recognized Indian tribe and State-recognized Indian tribe. Provides that any holder of a conservation right may transfer or assign a conservation right to an entity eligible to hold such rights as described in the Act. Provides that a conservation right may be enforced in an action seeking injunctive relief, specific performance, or damages by any federally recognized Indian tribe or State-recognized Indian tribe that owns the conservation right.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentExpands conservation rights to include cultural heritage sites and enables transfers to tribes, strengthening land conservation efforts per the Real Property Conservation Rights Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Conservation

in committee · Illinois · House Mar 21, 2025

HB 1359: ILLINOIS NATIVE LANDSCAPES ACT

Creates the Protecting Illinois Native Landscapes Act. Provides that a unit of local government may not enact or enforce an ordinance or resolution that prohibits or unreasonably restricts an owner, authorized agent, or authorized occupant of privately owned residential land or a premises from allowing Illinois native species to voluntarily grow within the landscape or to install and maintain Illinois native species within a managed native landscape. Provides that native landscaping that may not be prohibited includes small or large areas of native landscaping in the front, back, or side yard or in areas that do not fit a standard definition of yard, such as areas on farms, rural properties, corporate campuses, school campuses, and large estates. Excludes from the scope of the Act an ordinance or resolution of a unit of local government that prohibits plants, trees, or other landscaping from interfering with public transportation, vehicular traffic, or driveway or entrance road sight lines or from crossing sidewalks or property boundaries. Limits the concurrent exercise of home rule powers.

Topics ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentPromotes native plant conservation by preventing local restrictions on native landscaping, protecting biodiversity and natural resources per bill title and summary.95% confidence

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